Paint your homes white to protect from heatwaves, officials warn

Homeowners should paint their property white to protect themselves from heatwaves, the Government has advised as it warned that people start dying from the heat at just 24.5C.

Metal blinds and dark curtains should be replaced in a bid to cool down homes and property owners should consider putting up external shading outside windows, officials said as they warned of increasingly extreme summers.

Individuals can stay safe by putting a damp cloth on the back of their necks during hot weather, eating cold foods such as salads and fruit, and avoiding alcohol and caffeine, they added.

“As a result of climate change we are increasingly likely to experience extreme summer temperatures that may be harmful to health.”Chief medical officer Professor Dame Sally Davies

The advice is part of a 46-page plan put together by authorities to prevent seasonal deaths and prepare officials in the event of a heatwave.

The document, which is a joint NHS England and Public Health England (PHE) publication, also reveals that temperatures have to rise to just 24.5C before people start to die.

Other “trigger temperatures”, which signal when authorities need to act, include 33C, when roads begin to melt, and 36C, when National Rail would have to take extreme precautions.

Meanwhile, underground workers are advised to start issuing hot weather notices and hand out bottle water if London experiences three days of weather above 24C.

Because we are not used to these very hot temperatures in England, it is important that local plans are in place to reduce the impact of harm from very hot weather.Dr Angie Bone, head of extreme events at Public Health England

She said: “While hot weather is enjoyable for most people and uncomfortable for some, sadly experience tells us that exposure to excessive heat can kill, with most cases of illness and death caused by heart and lung disease.

“Because we are not used to these very hot temperatures in England, it is important that local plans are in place to reduce the impact of harm from very hot weather.

“The Heatwave Plan for England, which is a joint PHE, NHS England, Met Office and Local Government Association publication, exists to provide advice and guidance to healthcare professionals and the public on the effects heat can have on health.”

She added that additional materials had been published online, which stress the importance of looking out for young children, the elderly and those with underlying health conditions during hot weather.

Temperatures are expected to hit 21C on Sunday - well above the 17C average for May - with parts of London and Wales experiencing the warmest weather.

People relax in the sun at Fistral Beach, Cornwall.Credit:
Ben Birchall/PA

They will drop again at the beginning of next week with strong northerly winds forecast on Monday and heavy showers expected Tuesday.

The Met Office’s heat-health watch system issues warnings when threshold temperatures during the day and night are breached.

The temperatures vary depending on region. During the day, 32C is the threshold temperature for London while it dips to 28C in the North East.

The Heatwave Plan for England notes a significant number of deaths occur before these temperatures are reached.